Converj Production Greenlighted

Chevrolet's all-important (from a public relations standpoint) new Volt is coming, and things are going smoothly so far with testing of the preproduction run.

At the this years North American international Auto Show, Cadillac first showed off the Converj concept. The Converj is based around the same Voltec (formerly E-Flex) range-extended electric vehicle drivetrain that is used in the Volt.

Many speculated when the Volt was introduced that it would be much better if General Motors introduced an expensive, high-end vehicle under the Cadillac banner first. Most new technologies don't start out being very affordable - Tesla and Fisker are just a few recent examples in the automotive industry.

Producing the Volt offered a much needed boost to Chevrolet, but the benefits of a higher pricing factor and extra economies of scale of another model are undeniable.

While not officially confirmed, word has come from The Detroit Newsthat the Converj has been greenlighted for production. It is pretty much a no-brainer to industry observers.

Bob Lutz has pushed for the car strongly at GM, and when it does make it to production it should look very similar to the concept. Hopefully it will make it to production soon, Cadillac could use a true "green halo" car to boost its image.